The Dead Prince
by StarLuce
Summary: Zuko always knew that the spirits were out to get him but he never expected to be snatched away by them. Literally. Canon divergence.
1. Prologue

**The Dead Prince**

 **Prologue**

It was red. Everything was tinted red. His whole body was aching in a way that he almost didn't feel it, maybe he was going numb. Or could it be that his rage…that awful loathing rage that he was feeling for that snake was numbing his exhaustion, ache. He couldn't even feel the cold. That indescribable North Pole's cold that felt as if it will freeze his bones and then at a small impact they will shatter. He could feel steel coursing through his veins. His inner flame was burning white even under the bizarre and frightening moon turning the sky red.

That good for nothing Zhao tried to have the Prince of Fire Nation assassinated and now he was running away like the coward that he is! Zuko felt a feral growl growing in his throat. _No, calm. Stay calm. Keep the breath steady._

Zuko felt a kind of detached calm overcome his senses even with the anger burning white hot. Before he knew it Zuko and Zhao were fighting. Exchanging blow for blow. He was taunting him but Zuko didn't exchange any of the taunts. In the back of his head he could hear a voice strangely matching his uncle's. Urging him to keep his head leveled with his aim.

His aim. Make Zhao pay.

Let everyone see who the real traitor is.

Shooting a powerful fire ball towards Zhao he ducked back under the retaliating flame. Quickly getting up he saw Zhao jumping from the wall down an ice bridge. He followed. Anger and calm creating a dangerous concoction.

Every cruel word _lie_ went ignored. He could see Zhao was getting angry. Frustrated. He felt his mouth being pulled into a slight smirk. Allowing the smirk to form he felt the pressure. Horrendous pressure of failure after failure _after failure_ loosen a bit. The momentary relief literally felt uplifting.

He a heard loud noises. Of steel on steel and screams of terror and an eerie silence contrasting each other. But that's all it was. Noises. White noise in the background. Distant and unimportant. All of his concentration was absorbed in his duel. He was so close now so close to victory against this _bastard_.

Then he saw the blue light. Light that was alien yet familiar glowing out from the deep waters surrounding the bridge. They stopped abruptly and water rose. Glowing and menacing. Forming two claws and looming above them from both sides of the bridge ready to snatch. Zuko was mesmerized until suddenly he realized that the claws were really drawing closer. He tried to dodge but soon he found himself caught in a grip both hot and cold.

Zuko could feel his heart thudding like a tightly strung drum in his chest. He struggled though. He kept struggling fervently. He felt his left shoe loosening and saw it drop forlornly on the bridge. He looked up seeing Zhao caught in a similar predicament and to his horror saw him smirk when their eyes met. Zuko looked away sickened.

The Prince's mind suddenly flashed back to his uncle. His voice subdued with grief and worry as he reminded him how much he cares. Telling him how he lost a son to war. Hugging him and trying to cling desperately to the stiff board that was his nephew, as if he could just hold him a bit more tightly it will change his mind and stop him from going down. Stop him from chasing the Avatar.

 _I am sorry, uncle._

And the claw dragged him down. After a little while he could see no more.

 **To Be continued…**

 **-oOo-**

 _ **Avatar: The Last Airbender**_ _Concept and Characters_ Nickelodeon 2005-06

Created by Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko

 **-oOo-**

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. Please do tell me your opinions in a review if you liked it. I did love to hear it. Constructive criticism, ideas, and questions are also appreciated.

-StarLuce


	2. Chapter-1 Wrong

**Disclaimer - Avatar: The Last Airbender** _Concept and Characters_ belongs to Nickelodeon 2005-06 **  
**Created by Michael Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko. I just own this fan work ^_^

* * *

 **Chapter - 1**

 **Wrong**

Pakku sealed the door shut and sighed heavily. feeling his bones creak under exhaustion. _Times are catching up to me..._ straightening himself he quickly erased every sign of weariness and walked forward. He couldn't completely crush the dab of apprehension that he was feeling though. His steps remained sure regardless.

"I am honoured to have the Grand Lotus himself here." Pakku said carefully. Observing. Today couldn't contain any more surprises certainly but he has stopped trusting fate a while back.

General Iroh - Prince of the Fire Nation, the fearsome Dragon of the west was sitting in his secret meeting room. Looking fierce, dangerous, worried and drained. Trying to school everything neutral. To an outsider this might _no will_ look highly suspicious and questionable (even if all they saw is a man in red) but to Pakku he was well known as well as being well known by him. It is worrisome that-

"The honour is mine Master Pakku." both men bowed to each other and took their seats.

The waterbender remained silent as he just observed. There is something _wrong._ The general sighed heavily "I wish that we could have met at a better occasion." _Indeed_ Pakku mused _having to conduct a secret meeting with_ The Dragon of the West _while the fire nation has just been driven off their invasion._

"Wishes, my old friend, are for the free; that we are not. We are all prisoners of this dreadful war. For now we must make haste though." Pakku urged.

Iroh's eyes burned. "I believe my nephew is missing. He has been here on a personal mission-"

"And we all know what that personal mission is! Master Iroh, you must know the delicacy of the situation. This is the first chance we have in decades to completely erase this war and it might even be possible to do so with minimum bloodshed on every parties part. But Prince Zuko is becoming a hurdle in this."

The waterbender tried to ignore the urge to tap his fingers. He couldn't, however, ignore the uneasy feeling in his gut. Talking to this legendary man like this wasn't easy. But he knew that this needs to be done. They could not afford to have him compromised in anyway. Personal or emotional. They have mutual respect but his mind was occupied with worries that he just doesn't want to be worried over. At least, not right now.

Iroh sat rigidly like he was barely holding himself there, slowly nodding his head "I understand your concern and I can assure you on my word of honour that I am doing everything in my power to keep my nephew from going into dark. _And despair_. It may be questionable but I believe that just like the Avatar is the world's hope so is Prince Zuko for the Fire Nation and to a certain extent the world's as well. He has great potential. Our goal, Master Pakku, is not to just to end the War it is to bring the world back in balance or as close to it as possible. For us to do that we must not strive to _win_ this war but to _end it._ "

 _Careful general. Putting your words on the line for a brat could have consequences that you wouldn't like. But I will trust you on this._ Pakku kept his face carefully blank.

"I completely understand and agree with you. But I do not trust the Prince of yours. He is young and foolish and has been throughly immersed in your country's propaganda."

"I wouldn't be so sure of how _throughly_ he has been immersed and I understand your lack of trust in his abilities and character but I must ask you to have trust in my judgement. And currently it is imperative that we search for him and save his life. He is missing."

Pakku nodded and got up "For the time being Master Iroh you must hide here until we locate Price Zuko and bring him to safety. Further course of action can be taken after that." With a last exchange of formality the waterbender departed the room leaving Iroh alone with his thoughts, worries and _vagueness_ _of... something_ horrible.

 **-o-O-o-**

 _Note to self. Never get carried away while walking across the city when it's covered in dead bodies_ Sinu thought dazedly as he scrambled frantically away from the blood and _gore._ He had tripped _tripped_ , spirits! And not on some stray ice or wedge but on this...this half burned and buried thing. He couldn't even guess if the clothes were blue soaked through to this ugly colour or red. Does it really matter? Blue or Red it was supposed to be a _human being._. .Eyes averted and heart drumming away in his chest he ran away as fast as he could. Spirits! he just wanted to return to his wife and baby son and just hold them. Reassure himself that they were finally safe and completely unharmed, that they had won _won_ and had crushed those filthy fire monster attacking them.

Not run around searching for one those filthy monster just because he has been ordered to. And that's it, isn't it? He really has to search for a fucked up firebender in his teens and a scar on the left side of his face because they had been ordered to and it was specified that this search is an emergency by _Master Pakku. That it was imperative for The Order._

 _I really shouldn't be wasting time._ Sinu thought irritatingly and picked his pace back up. He really _really_ didn't want to look around but he has too. He ran the freezing water harshly against his hands and cloths where he could see blood and other stuff, trying not to gag. The water had quickly turned an ugly reddish colour.

Everything is so quite. After all the screaming and chaos this quite didn't feel peaceful. Oh no, it was not peaceful, it was just palpable and impeding like it was holding something back but soon it will come crashing down. Something they will _not_ like.

He is one of the strongest waterbenders, one of the best. And here he was a mess. _Get it together you fool!_ War can mess up even the best. He has heard stories, had felt anger and courage running through his veins while hearing legends of heroes of his tribe, of waterbenders and previous avatars. It's not the same in the real world, he has known this fact though...just never how bad it actually is. _Worse than his wildest imagination._

He felt kind of stupid. Courage and glory and the glory of a hard won fight or falling while protecting your tribe...lies. All lies that they all just fed themselves so it could make it easier to deal with while you are alive. And excuses to be given when there is the losses to be dealt. Here, right now, he wasn't feeling any courage just desperation and who cares about glory right now? He just wanted to go home... and now he was suddenly so _so_ angry... he wanted. . . just ...

...Sinu."

He almost jumped out of his skin and whirled around. Razor sharp icicle poised, ready to kill...

"Whoa! Easy...easy there... You okay? You look pale."

Nikom. It's just him.

He put a firm hand on his shoulder. "Yeah. I am fine, just jumpy." Sinu sounded tired even to his own ears.

"I couldn't blame you for being jumpy... I don't want to be alone either and you know, while searching for this firebender..." He just shook his head. "Let's just search together."

Nikom was still smiling. Just like always. He is the cheerful bird over everyones' head, the humor guy and one of his fellow mates from the same level of class from Master Pakku. A brilliant waterbender. Also out and searching. A part of the Order.

"Yeah, sure."

Sinu breathed a sigh of relief. He was a bit surprised seeing that smile still in place but now he could see the strain too. He wonders if the strain will ever go away.

"Ohhh. Stop thinking and start moving already. The sooner we get this done the better!"

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

Sinu didn't answer. He just turned and ran. Knowing with certainty that Nikom will follow.

 **-o-O-o-**

Rihan knew he was running. He just...he just couldn't _think._ Clearly. _The shoe is still there. The monster will come back to take it!_

 _...run._ Run!

His sight suddenly blacked out and he screamed. He could feel pain in his butt as it collided with hard ice but it felt so far away just like the ragged breathing and some kind of thumping in his chest. Everything is far away. Everything felt so wrong and...and.

He just wanted to go to his mama and _stop looking._

 _The monster will take him too._ He saw those hands taking those two fire people away. _He has to run!_ _Mama!_ But something is holding him...

"Hey kid! Rihan! Calm Down! It's okay!"

"Look at us!"

"Why are you here alone?"

"Nikom, I think he is in shock. Let's just take him to the healers. He wouldn't be able to answer anything."

It's someone's voice. He could recall it vaguely... he felt...

"I kind of starting to think of myself as an idiot for not learning even basic healing. Even if tradition..."

"It's not the time for that! Regrets later rescue now. Even though I get your point."

Rihan's eyes rolled back and he fell. He felt himself being lifted, he wanted to fight but just couldn't lift his hand or see. He panicked but soon everything slipped away and then he didn't remember anything.

 **-o-O-o-**

Aang didn't know what to do. He just wanted to close his eyes and avert his face perhaps somehow even dull his ears and nose and skin. He just really wanted to become numb or maybe black out for a few hours. He just didn't know! And . . . and something was really hurting inside. He wanted someone to come and just hold it together for him. But he really really didn't want anyone to think that he was weak because he really wasn't. He believed he wasn't. He has to or else there is no way to deal with this.

His eyes burned with tears. So so many dead and... what is this feeling?!

This detrimental untrue feeling. Like something in him is askew.

Something needs to be fixed! But what? The moon is back where it belongs. Yue... gave it back her... its life back to it. Sokka was-is devastated. And it still wasn't enough! So many sacrifices and it still wasn't enough.

Aang wondered in a moment of darkness, if the spirits had it already planned. That Yue was their backup plan and they did all this deliberately. Ocean spirit or _whatever_ just killed so many _so many_ knowing that in reality the Moon would be back.

And the Avatar spirit didn't even let him have a choice nor did the previous avatars, his guides. they used him - his body - to kill so many and the awful _anger..._ cold and angry and _wise_...it hurts. He folded his arms around his knees and brought it closer to his body, huddling. Aang was sitting at the near wall of the main hall. Looking towards the wreckage that the avatar has caused.

But it was the Fire Nation and they were attacking! He has to protect the Water Tribe because...because Fire Nation needs to be stopped, they were killing! At all cost!

Besides how could he judge the decision of all the avatars or the avatar spirit at least. He heard stories here that when the glow comes to the eyes of The living Avatar he or she gets empowered by the wisdom and power of the all previous avatars. How could they all be wrong?

All the bodies floating around. Who would be cleaning up? How could anyone ever clean up?

Would it be like his home? Where no one ever came to clean up? No...that wasn't right. There are people here they will take care of it but what about the Fire Nation soldiers? They should get cremated as well shouldn't they? It wouldn't be right not to do so. There were so many... It's going to be so bad.

 _What could possibly justify this destruction though? Why couldn't they drive the Fire Nation away before...before anything went wrong?!_

 _Before he started to hurt like this._

 _I'm not weak!_

He just wanted to stop thinking for a minute! He was disoriented and dazed and he really wanted to rest. Sleep undisturbed. he knew, however, that his sleep would be anything but undisturbed, nightmares will be haunting him.

Aang closed his eyes and sat cross legged in hopes to collect his mind and meditate himself back together.

. . . he should see a healer to check if there is some internal injury or bleeding.

 _He suddenly looked up and saw the giant water claw getting closer to him. He tried to jump but soon was engulfed in it. He was truely petrified. Trying fervently to get out of the grip. Looking up he saw Zhao in the same predicament, terrified but he smirked back at him -_

Aang's eyes snapped open and he screamed and screamed until his voice gave out and his eyes rolled back.

* * *

 **Author's Note -**

Special thanks to **raevinederont1, Gothic Girl, ManofManyHats17, Scarviex,** and **caitycaterpillar** along with four 'Guests' for their amazing reviews. You made my day! :D Thanks to those who added this story in their favorite and follow list as well.

This chapter is a just a little shorter than I intended but this is what I thought sets the best pace for this chapter. I do not like to explain anything relating to the story in ANs because I try to make the story say everything, so, if anything feels out you can ask. I did be glad to answer. Also, there will be no Major OC character(s). All major characters will be from the show, if there seems to be any it might be some original charcter from the show in disguise ;)

Now, Please tell me what you think! Your comments and reviews are very appreciated and taken seriously. Constructive criticism, ideas, questions are all welcome. They give me a better equilibrium to write. :)

\- StarLuce


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